Posted on 04/25/2022 4:11:16 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Kane Tanaka, a Japanese woman who was the world's oldest person, has died at the age of 119, Japanese authorities said.
Born in 1903, Tanaka was the world's oldest human being as verified by the Guinness Book of World Records -- and the second-oldest person of all time.
Japan's health ministry said that Tanaka died on April 19, making her 119 years and 107 days old.
"We're sad to report that Kane Tanaka has passed away at the age of 119," the Guinness Book of World Records said in a tweet Monday. "Kane was the oldest living person in the world."
"She became the oldest living person in January 2019 at the age of 116 years and 28 days," Guinness added. "She is also the second oldest person ever recorded, behind only Jeanne Calment who lived to the age of 122."
Tanaka's family tweeted earlier this month that she'd recently been in and out of a hospital. She'd celebrated her final birthday on Jan. 2 of this year.
Tanaka, the seventh of nine siblings, married Hideo Tanaka four days after her 19th birthday in 1922. Together they had four children and adopted a fifth.
Tanaka's longevity is surprising considering that the life expectancy for women in Japan is 88. For men, it's 82. Worldwide, the life expectancy of women is about 75.
Guinness' previous oldest living man, Japan's Chitetsu Watanabe, died in 2020 at 112 years and 344 days.
Oddly enough, being named the oldest person in the world is the kiss of death.
If she lived in the U.S. the Democrat voting canvassers would be adding her name to the voting lists.
Did she smoke?😎
Another Covid victim taken too soon. RIP.
I’m middle aged!
Yes. Let’s at least be consistent around here when anyones death makes the paper! :).
She was just turning her life around!
Oldest officially known person
You think being in Japan stops them?
Oddly enough, being named the oldest person in the world is the kiss of death.
What's truly amazing is that she held the title for over three years.
Always seems like once anyone inherits an "oldest" title, that pour soul becomes easy prey, nabbed within weeks, maybe a few months tops.
"We got a winner here! Ooops, someone was just born in Argentina! Nope, got a new winner here, better re-write the record book again for the millionth time..."
I don’t think this is true, based on the 2020 voting information. There were a slew of people THAT VOTED that were listed as born in the year 1900. They’d have been 120 years old on Election Day.
Now I’m one person closer to being the oldest person in the world!
Looks like Oscar the cat is catching a flight out of Narita tonight.
Well, all the antediluvian birth certificates were lost in the great flood, so Guinness has no way of verifying their dates of birth.
Another 48 years and I will beat that record. Of course with all my bad habits don’t think I will make it.
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